Packaged comestibles



July 16, 1968 J. H. MOYER ETAL 3,393,076

PACKAGE-b COMESTIBLES Filed June 2, 1965 Z/ Q QO Q Q United States Patent 3,393,076 PACKAGED COMESTIBLES John H. Moyer, Garden City South, Ernest W. Stein, New York, and Eugene Fischhach, Bayside, N.Y., and William J. Mozak, Emerson, N.J., assignors to DCA Food Industries Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed June 2, 1965, Ser. No. 460,734 Claims. (Cl. 99-171) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Glazed doughnuts are packaged to minimize liquefaction of the glaze during storage by supporting the doughnuts in a box by means of a rack member having downwardly converging longitudinal walls provided with longitudinally spaced cradle-delineating pairs of transversely aligned openings formed therein in which the doughnuts rest and are positively spaced from each other and the walls of the box.

The present invention relates generally to improvements in packaged comestibles and it relates particularly to improvements in packaged glazed bakery products such as cakes and the like.

In the marketing of glazed doughnuts and other glazed bakery products it is common practice to package the doughnuts in a container or carton of predetermined size into which may fit snugly and tightly to prevent rattling, shifting and consequent mutilation during the handling, shipping and distribution thereof. However, the packaged glazed doughnut has heretofore presented a major problem seriously limiting its usefulness, particularly in areas having humid, wet and hot weather conditions. Under these ambient conditions, the glazing liquifies to a sticky unpleasant syrup which drops from the doughnuts to form pools of syrup at the bottom of the container, some of the syrup dripping through breather holes and other openings in the container to underlying areas which may be a shelf or other containers. The result is an unattractive and unsanitary condition attendant to the distribution of packaged glazed doughnuts during the humid, hot and wet seasons of the year.

For this reason, sales of such products during such seasons are greatly reduced. Another factor to limit the sales of glazed doughnuts during the hot and humid times of the year is that the glazed doughnuts assume a soggy, sticky, and shelf-worn shriveled appearance, and this together with the wetting of the package by the accumulation of pools of syrupy glaze and the resulting blotchy condition, contribute to a highly unattractive product and package. While many glaze compositions have been proposed to remedy the above drawbacks and disadvantages, these have been only partially successful and have left much to be desired.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved packaged comestible.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved package of glazed cakes.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved package of glazed doughnuts in which the liquifying of the glazing is minimized even under such adverse conditions as high humidity and heat.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved packaged product of the above nature characterized by its versatility, simplicity, adaptability, attractive appearance and low cost.

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

3,393,076 Patented July 16, 1968 FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a blank employed in forming the cake support rack which constitutes a component part of the improved package;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse sectional view of the improved package taken along line 22 in FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof taken along line 3-3 in FIGURE 2.

In a sense, the present invention contemplates the provision of a packaged comestible comprising a receptacle, a plurality of glazed cakes housed in said receptacle, and means in said receptacle for supporting said cakes in spaced relationship to afford free access of air to all surfaces of said cakes.

According to a preferred form of the present article, the cakes are glazed yeast raised doughnuts and the receptacle is a cardboard box provided with a flip lid affording access to the interior thereof. The doughnuts are supported in the box by a rack member formed of a unitary cardboard blank which is shaped to provide side walls abutting corresponding side walls of the box and support walls extending downwardly and inwardly from the upper edges of the side walls to a narrow bottom panel resting in the base of the box. Longitudinally spaced pairs of transversely extending socket apertures are formed in the inclined walls of the rack, which socket apertures are of dimension to receive a cake and support it snugly and releasably in position spaced from the receptacle walls and from adjacent cakes whereby to afford complete exposure of the cake to the ambient atmosphere.

Referring now to the drawing forming a part hereof and which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention as applied to the packaging of glazed yeast raised doughnuts, reference numeral 10 generally designates the improved packaged product which includes a receptacle or box 12 in which is housed a doughnut rack 14 which in turn, supports a plurality of spaced doughnuts 16.

Rack 14 is shaped from a unitary rectangular blank or sheet 18 formed of any suitable sufliciently rigid material, for example, cardboard, advantageously coated or otherwise treated to render it non-absorbing, or a suitable plastic such as polyethylene, preferably of the high density type, polypropylene or other synthetic organic polymer.

Blank 18 includes longitudinally extending similar front and rear rectangular end panels 20, longitudinally extending similar front and rear rectangular intermediate panels 22 and a longitudinally extending medial rectangular panel 24. Intermediate panels 22 are of greater width than end panels 20 and are delineated therefrom by longitudinally extending score or fold lines 26. Medial panel 24 is relatively narrow and delineated from the flanking intermediate panels 22 by score or fold lines 28.

Formed in intermediate panels 22 are longitudinally spaced socket or cradle defining pairs of transversely extending transversely aligned slots or apertures 30 which are symmetrical to the medial longitudinal axis of the blank 18. The inner edges 32 of slots 30 are spaced from the corresponding fold lines 28 and are curved, prefera'bly to correspond to a planar section of the outer surface of a doughnut along a cord whereby to mate the surface of a doughnut nested in a cradle. The outer edges 34 of slots 30 are spaced inwardly of fold lines 26 and although they are longitudinally linear as illustrated, they may likewise be curved in the manner of the inner edges 32. The width of slots 30 is about equal to or slightly greater than that of a doughnut 16.

Box 12 is of rectangular prismatic configuration and of conventional construction and formed of any suitable material such as cardboard, preferably of a non-absorbent nature, and decorated, and carrying such legends and information as may be desired or required. Box 12 includes a bottom wall 36, upstanding front and rear walls 38 and 40 respectively and square end walls 42. The top wall of box 12 is defined by a rectangular lid 44 integrally formed with and hinge connected by a fold line 45 along its rear longitudinal edge to the upper edge of rear wall 40. Depending from the forward edge of the lid 44 is a flap 46 which engages the inside upper border of front wall 38 to hold lid 44 releasa'bly in closed position. It should be noted that the inside height and the depth of the box 12 are larger than the diameter of the doughnuts 16 which are packaged therein. If desired, lid 44 and one or more of the walls of the box 12 may be provided with windows, closed by transparent panes, such as of cellophane or the like, to provide visual access into the closed box for viewing the product therein.

Blank 18 is shaped into a rack and housed in the box 12 by bending the intermediate panels 22 upwardly along fold lines 28 and bending the end panels 20 downwardly along fold lines 26. The shaped rack 14 is then nested in box 12 with the panel 24 medially disposed and superimposed on the bottom wall of the box and the outer faces of the front and rear panels extended along and abut the inner faces of the front and rear walls 38 and 40 of the box. The bottom edges of panels 20 engage the corresponding corner edges between the box front and rear walls 38 and 40 and the bottom wall 36, and the rack edges defined by the fold lines 26 extend along the inside faces of the walls 38 and 40 below the upper edges to a point below the height the distance of penetration of flap 46. In transverse section, rack 14 is M-shaped, the inner relatively angled panels legs 22, 22 defining a V, supported by the outer vertically disposed panels legs 20, 20.

Doughnuts 16 are of any well known type provided with a coating on one or more faces thereof and sensitive to highly humid ambient conditions in the manner above set forth. For example, doughnuts 16 may be glazed yeast raised doughnuts. The glazing comprises finely pulverized sucrose sugar which has been mixed with water to provide flowability and facilitate the application of the glazing to the doughnuts, and conventional additives are provided to accelerate the drying of the coating, effected in the usual manner within a period of 30 to 45 minutes.

A doughnut 16 rests in and is supported by each cradle delineated by a pair of transversely spaced opposite apertures 30, the doughnut projecting through the aperture and being engaged by end edges 32 and 34. It is important to note that the apertures 30 are so shaped and dimensioned and located on the rack 14 relative to the dimensions and shape of the doughnut 16 and the dimensions of the box 12 that a doughnut resting in a cradle defined by a pair of apertures 30 is spaced from each of the walls of the box 12 and from the next adjacent cradle supported doughnut. Thus, except for the narrow-line small :areas which are engaged by the edges of slots 30 the faces of the doughnuts are completely exposed to the air in the box. the Distance between the confronting faces of successive doughnuts and between the peripheries of the doughnuts and the closest point of an adjacent box wall is advantageously of the order of inch.

By reason of the manner in which doughnuts 1 6 are supported by rack 14 in box 12, they are fully cushioned against any damage resulting from the handling of the filled boxes and within the box each is exposed to the air in the box which is free to circulate therein. As a consequence, the drawbacks and disadvantages encountered with the conventionally packaged, glazed doughnut are completely obviated, and for other reasons as well. Not only is any physical damage to the doughnuts minimized but the doughnuts and the glazing are maintained, even under highly humid and warm atmospheric conditions, for extended periods of time, in a highly attractive and edible state and which may be easily and conveniently handled. The old looking, wet, sticky and shriveled appearance and the formation of globs and pools of glazing with the resulting blotchy condition which characterized the conventionally packaged glazed doughnut are eliminated in the present packaged glazed doughnut.

While there has been described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations, omissions and additions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

We claim:

1. A packaged comestible comprising an elongated rectangular box including front, rear and bottom walls, a rack member disposed in and extending along the length of said box and including a pair of opposite longitudinal first panels extending downwardly and inwardly inclined from said box front and rear walls and resting on said box bottom wall and having a plurality of longitudinally spaced cradle-delineating pairs of transversely aligned openings formed therein, and a glazed cake resting in each of said cradles and spaced from the walls of said box and from the faces of the cakes resting in adjacent cradles.

2. The packaged comestible of claim 1, wherein said box and rack are formed of cardboard.

3. The packaged comestible of claim 1, wherein the rack member is generally M-shaped in transverse section with the first panels defining the V-arranged inner legs of the rack, and the rack includes outer vertical-1y extending legs formed integrally with the inner legs and depending from the upper ends thereof, the lower ends of the outer legs and the trough of the V-arranged inner legs resting atop the box bottom wall.

4. The packaged comestible of claim 1, wherein said rack includes a pair of opposite longitudinal end second panels abutting and lying along the inner faces of said box front and rear walls, said first panels being integral with and extending from the upper edges of said second panels to said box bottom wall.

5. The packaged comestible of claim 4, including a longitudinally medially extending third panel superimposed on said box bottom wall and connecting the lower edges of said first panels.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,368,797 2/1945 Bailar 99l72 XR 3,128,030 4/ 1964 Davies. 3,212,907 10/1965 Caprioli 99-171 RAYMOND N. JONES, Primary Examiner. E. A. MILLER, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Certificate Patent No. 3,393,076 Patented July 16, 1968 John H. Moyer, Ernest W. Stein, Eugene Fisehbach, and William J. Mozak Application having been made by John H. Meyer, Ernest W. Stein, Eugene Fischbaeh, and VVilham J. Mozak, the inventors named in the patent above identified; and DCA Food Industries Inc., New York, New York, a corporation of the State of New York, the assignee, and Edward F. Pettinato of New York, New York for the issuance of a certificate under the provisions of Title 35, Section 256, of the United States Code, adding the name of the said Edward F. Pettinato as a joint inventor, and a showing and proof of facts satisfying the requirements of the said section having been submitted, it is this 8th day of July 1969, certified that the name of the said Edward F. Pettinato is hereby added to the said patent as joint inventor with the said John H. Moyer, Ernest V. Stein, Eugene Fisehbaeh, and Vvilliam J. Mozak.

[SEAL] EDWIN L. REYNOLDS, First Assistant 0o1mni8sioner. 

